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Observation: Miller Bowl

Observation Date
1/2/2024
Observer Name
Toby Weed
Region
Logan » Logan River » Tony Grove » Miller Bowl
Location Name or Route
Miller Bowl West
Weather
Sky
Clear
Wind Speed
Calm
Weather Comments
Pretty cold in the shade
Snow Characteristics
Snow Surface Conditions
Faceted Loose
Melt-Freeze Crust
Snow Characteristics Comments
The snow on and near the surface is very weak and sugary (near-surface facets) on most slopes that are not in the sun. Sunny slopes are crusty. I found nice soft and fun recrystallized "loud powder" in Miller Bowl...;-}
I also found a concerning situation at 7500' in elevation on an east-facing slope, with about an inch (2 cm) of super weak faceted snow on the surface capping a brittle, breakable, melt-freeze crust. I could easily picture avalanches failing on the weak snow and running on the pre-Christmas crust.
Red Flags
Red Flags Comments
The snow is stable now, but the situation will change as soon as it snows again. Some slopes won’t take much accumulation to create unstable and dangerous conditions. It will take more and perhaps a bit of wind for others to become unsafe, but people should expect dangerous and complex conditions as the current old and weak snow is overloaded by a series of potential storms in the next week or two.
Avalanche Problem #1
Problem
Persistent Weak Layer
Trend
Increasing Danger
Problem #1 Comments
The snow is stable now, but the weak, sugary snow on and near the current snow surface will become a PWL when it's buried by future snow storms.
Snow Profile
Aspect
North
Elevation
8,700'
Slope Angle
35°
Comments
I dug snowpits where natural avalanches had occurred during the widespread early December cycle. The crowns of many of these avalanches are still visible a month after they happened, and the snow is shallower and probably weaker on the bed surfaces than on surrounding slopes that did not slide.
The snow was so loose and sugary that skinning up Miller Bowl was like trying to walk up a sand-dune. Colorado skiers who are used to this kind of thing call this "sandboxing."
I encountered a plump rabbit in a fluffy white coat that looked ready for the oncoming snow storms... Bring it on!
Today's Observed Danger Rating
Low
Tomorrows Estimated Danger Rating
Low
Coordinates